Isolation of Bacillus cereus Group from the Fecal Material of Turtles

Members of the Bacillus cereus group can be animal and human pathogens. They can be found in foods, the environment and in animals. In this study, two B. cereus group members were isolated in a previous study from the fecal material of endangered Wood Turtles ( Glyptemys insculpta ) and three additional isolates found in the fecal material of painted turtles ( Chrysemys picta ) were characterized. The genomes of the five isolates were sequenced and the toxicogenic profiles were determined using the virulence factor database. The most common enterotoxin genes found were BAS3109 , hblA , hblC , hblD , inhA , nheA. nheB , and nheC .